Rotary toothbrush



July 3l, 1928.Y

Filed Nov. 22, 1924 IN VEN TOR. M'AW ZLmLM/L A TTORNEYS.

Patented `luly 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,679,166 PATENT OFFICE.`

WALTER S. MURDOCK, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

ROTARY TooTHBRUsH.

Application filed November 22, 1924. Serial No. 751,658.

'5 handle, and a substantially cylindrical brush and also embodying a novel type of drive shaft whereby the brush may be manually rotated in either direction with respect to the handle.

Another object of the invention. is to pro` vide a rota-ry toothbrush embodying al handle having a drive shaft therein and a substantially cylindrical brush detachably connected to said drive shaft in a novel manner and also including a 'novel type of lip piece connected to the brush and forming aclose fitting joint with the handle.

A further feature of the invention re-l sides in the provision of a tooth brush scconstructed as to exclude the entranceof water, moisture, or foreign matt-erl from the inside of the handle.

A still further feature ,of the invention resides in the provision of a rotary tooth brush, composed of few parts so assembled that there will be little wear on the parts that are movable, and which may be cheaply constructed and easily assembled or taken apart for cleansing; and it is to be further noted that thebrush proper may be readily detached, when worn out and replaced with a new one. n

lVith the above and other objects iii-view this invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts an example of which is given in this specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinz- Figure 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the device. Figure 2 shows a side view, of the rotary brush and brush shaft, with the attached lippiece shown in section.

Figure 3 shows an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 shows a fragment-ary side view of the brush driving` shaft.

Figure 5 shows an end view thereof. Figures 6 and 7 show side and end views of a bearing ring employed.

Figure 8 shows a side view and u Figure 9 shows a cross sectional view of the brush takenont-he line 9-9 of Figure 1. Referring now rmore vparticularly to the of the handle,

drawings, wherein like numerals of refer-V ence designate similar parts in each of the gures, the numeral 1 designatesfthe handle,

which may be formed of Celluloid -orV other suitable material. This handle has a lengthwise bore to receive a metallic tubular lining 2, which is suitably secured therein and one end of which isl flush with the corresponding end of the handle and whose other end, as 3, projects beyond its corresponding end of the'handle. This lining forms a bearing for the crank shaft and crank, here inafter described, and its extended end 3 gives a longer bea-ring for the brush shaft, hereinafter. referredto, and prevents the wabbling of said brush shaft and said eX- tended end also assists iii excluding Water and foreign matter from the inside of the handle.

There is a crank shaft 4 rotatable in the linins,r 3, one attached thereto. This crank is formed with an annular abutment, or bearing 6 which bearsag'ainst the adjacent end of the .lining 2, which thus protects the corresponding end of the handle 1 against wear, and the free end of the crank carries the usual rotatable `grip member 7, of any desired form, by which the crank may be turned.

The other end of the crank shaft 4 has a deep socket S to receive the twisted-wire brush shaft 10, and this end of the crank shaft has opposed slots 11, 11, and a removablesurroundingbearing ring 12. This ring rotates with the crank shaft, one end bearing against the adjacent end 3 of the lining 2, thus minimizing any wear on this end of the crank shaft and being easily and cheaply replaced when it is worn out; and the other, or outer, end of this ring has opposing end notches 13, 13'V in which the outwardly extending lugs 14, 14, carried by the adjacent end of the crank shaft,ft. The slits 11 form this end of said crank shaft into flexible prongs as shown in Figure 4, which are held against spreading by said bearing ring12 and which may be pressedtogether to receive said ring and when released will seat the lugs 14 into the notches4 13. Theabutment 6 and the ring 12 thus hold the crank shaft 4 against endwise movement.

As clearly illustratedin Figure 5 the lopposite ends of the lugs l14 are dressed down, thus slightly flattening this-end of the crank shaft 4, so that when the prongs arepressed together the diameter of this end of the end of which has the crank 5 lli lil)

crank shaft will be less than the diameter of the ring- 1Q, and the lining 2, and said ring;` may then be readily removed and the crank shaft l Withdrawn through said lining.

before stated the brush shaft t is formed of twisted, non-corrosive Wire and its inner end is designed to fit snugly into the deep socket 8 of the crank shaft. rlhe outer cnd of this shaft 10 carries the bristles, of which the brush is formed. rlhese bristles Vare inserted between the Wires before they are twisted together and are so distributed that the brush will be of uniform density from end to end. The butt end of the brush is preferably of cylindrical form for about one third of the length of the brush and then slightly tapers to the free end of said brush, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. This form of brush will conform more closely to the inside of the teeth than a straight line, or true cylindrical brush.

A portion of the shaft 10, adjacent the brush is flattened, said fiattened portion ezitending into the slots 11 and, in effect, forming a clutch with the shaft l so that the brush will rotate with said shaft.

A lip piece 16 is fitted around the attened portion of the shaft 10 adjacent the brush, and is cemented, or otherwise secured thereon so as to form a Water tight joint. rllhis lip piece is extended and enlarged, so as to space the enlarged portion from the shaft 10 thus forming, in effect, a cap-like bearing 17, which fits over the projecting end 3 of the lining 2 and abuts against the adjacent end of the handle 1 to form a comparatively tight joint to exclude water or foreign matter.

In use the brush 15 is inserted into the mouth and the lips closed around the lippiece 16 and said brush is then rotated in either direction byhand. The mouth beine,` closed the cleansing agent, and saliva will be retained in t month and at the saine time the Water tight "oint between the lippiece 16 and the shaft 10, as well as the projectingl hood 17 will protect the inside of the handle against moisture and foreign matter. The teeth will thus be tl'ioroughly cleansed and the adjacent parts of the mouth massaged.

rlhe brush 15 will be the only part that `vvill readily vvear out and this part, to-

gether with the shaft 10 and lip-piece, may be readily removed and replaced when Worn out. V

What I claim is 1. An implement of the character described including a handle having a longitudinal bore, a metallic lining in the bore forming a bearing, a shaft in said bearing', means for rotating the shaft, a brush carried by and detachable from the shaft, said bearing being extended, at one end, beyond the against said ring, a brush shaft one end of which is fitted into said socket and is provided With a. lateral extension Which engages with said slot, a brushon the other end of said brush shaft.

3. An implement of the character described including` a handle, a shaft extending through, and rotatable in said handle, means carried by one end of the shaft to rotate the saine, the other end of said shaft having` a deep socket and a side slot, a ring around the slotted end of the shaft, a tubular extension carried by the handle around the slotted end of the shaft which bears against said ring, a brush shaft one end of which is fitted into said socket and'is provided With a lateral extension which engages with said slot, a brush on the other end of said brush shaft, and a lip piece secured around the brush shaft, one end of which is adj acentY the brush and the other end of which fits around said ring and extension.

4. An implement of the character tescribed including a handle, a shaft extending through, and rotatable in said handle, means carried by one end of the shaft to rotate the same, the other end of said shaft having a deep socket and a. side slot, a ring around the slotted end of the shaft, a tubular extension carried by the handle around the slotted end of the shaft which bears against said ring, a brush shaft one end of which is fitted into said socket and is provided with a lateral extension which engages with said slot, a brush on the other end of said brush shaft, and a lip piece secured around the brush shaft, one end of which is adjacent theY brush and the other end of which fits around said ring and extension, the end of said lip piece adjacent the brush and having Water proof material between it and said shaft forming a Water tight joint With the brush shaft.

An implement of the character described including a handle, shaft eatemlinp,` through, and rotatable in said handle, means carried by one end of the shaft to rotate the same, the other end of said shaft having a deep socket and a side slot, a ring` around the slotted end of the shaft, a tubular extension carried by the handle around the slotted end of 'the shaft which bears against said ring, a brush shaft one end of which is fitted into said socket and is provided with a lateral llt) liao

having a handle and a drive shaft therein having end slots, a brush shaft, a brush carried by one end thereof, said, brush shaft being' flattened adjacent the brush, said flat portion being adapted to fit into said slots, a tubular lip piece secured on the brush shaft adjacent the brush, and Whose end, remote from the brush, is spaced `from the shaft, and thus forming a lip guard around said shaft.

7. In a device of the character described a brush shaft, a brush carried by one end thereof, a lip piece secured around said shaft Whose end, remote from the brush, is spaced from the shaft, said lip piece being cemented to and forming a Water tight joint with the shaft.

8. An implement of the character described including a handle, a drive shaft extending through said` handle and rotatable therein, means carried by one end of the shaft for rotating the same, the other end of the shaft having a deep socket and side slots forming prongs, lateral lugs carried by the prongs, a bearing ring around said prongs formed with end notches wherein the lugs are adapted to seat, a brush, a brush shaft on one end of which the brush is fixed, the

. other end of the brush shaft fitting into said socket.

9. An implement of the character de- Y scribed including a handle, a drive shaft extending through said handle and rotatable therein, means carried by one end of the shaft for rotating the same, the other end of the shaft having a deep socket and side slats forming prongs, lateral lugs carried by thc prongs, a bearing ring' aroundsaid prongs formed with bearings wherein the lugs are adaptedto seat, a brush, a brush shaft on one end of which the brush is fixed, the other end of the brush shaft fitting into said socket and having lateral extensions which fitinto said slots.

10. An implement of the character described including a handle, a drive shaft extending through said handle and rotatable therein, means carried by one end of the shaft for rotating the same, the other end of the shaft having a deep socket and side slots forming prongs, lateral lugscarried byzthe prongs, a bearing ring around said prongs formed with recesses vwherein the lugs are adapted to seat, a brush, a brush shaft on one end of which the brush is fixed, the other endl of the brush shaft fitting into said socket, a tubular extension carried by the handle and fitting around the slotted end of said drive shaft and abutting against said ring.

11. An implement of the .character described including a handle, a drive shaft extending through said handle and rotatable thereim means carried by one end of the shaft for rotating the same, the other end of the shaft having a deep socket and side slots forming prongs, lateralv lugs carried by the prongs, a bearing ring around said prongs formed with end notches wherein the lugs are adapted to seat, a brush, a brush shaft fitting into said socket, a tubular extensionV carried by the handle and fit-ting around the slotted end of said drive shaft and abutting against said ring, and a tubular lip piece around'the brush shaft, one end of which is adjacent the brush and Whose other end is fitted around said ring and extension.

12. An implement of the character de scribed including a handle having a length- Wise bearing therethrough,l a Vdrive shaft fitted through said bearing, means carried by one end of said shaft for rotating the same,

the other end of the shaft having a deep socket and side slots forming flexible prongs, outwardly extending lugs carried by V.the prongs and forming means for retainin said shaft in its bearing, a brush shaft fitted into said socket and operatively connected with .said drive shaft and a brush carriedv by said brush shaft.

13. An implement of the character described including a handle having a length- Wise bearing therethrough, a drive shaft fitted through said bearing, means carried by oneend of 4said shaft for deep socket and side slots for-ming flexible prongs, a removable bearing ring around said prongs, outwardly extending lugs carretaining said ring thereon, a brush shaft fit-ted into said socket and operatively connected with said drive shaft and a brush car-A ried by said brush shaft.

rotating thek same, the other end of the shaft having a v f ried by the prongs andl forming means for In testimony whereof I have signed my v name tothis specification.'

'WALTER s. MURDoox.` y 

